Etienne Maurice Gerard

Etienne Maurice Gerard (4 April 1773-17 April 1852) was a Marshal of France who also served as Prime Minister from 18 July to 10 November 1834, succeeding Nicolas Soult and preceding Hugues-Bernard Maret.

Biography
Etienne Maurice Gerard was born in Damvilliers, Lorraine, France in 1773, and he joined a battalion of volunteers in 1791 on the eve of the French Revolutionary Wars. In 1795, he served as Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's aide-de-camp, and he was promoted to Brigadier-General in 1806 after distinguishing himself at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt. After the Battle of Wagram, he was created a baron, and he fought in Spain and Russia before being promoted to General de division. In 1813, he commanded a division at Lutzen and Bautzen, and he commanded the XI Corps at the Battle of Leipzig, during which he was gravely wounded. He was made a Count for his service in the German campaign, and, despite being granted more titles and honors under the restored Bourbon monarchy in 1814, he went over to Napoleon's side during his "Hundred Days" in 1815. He commanded the IV Corps at the Battle of Ligny, and he took part in the Battle of Wavre after failing to aid Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. After the fall of Napoleon, Gerard retired to Brussels, and he did not return to France until 1817.

During the Bourbon monarchy, Gerard served in the Chamber of Deputies from 1822 to 1824 before being re-elected in 1827. He took part in the July Revolution of 1830, after which he was appointed Minister of War and named a Marshal of France. He resigned as Minister of War the following October to his declining health. However, in 1831, Gerard took command of the Northern Army and forced the Netherlands to withdraw from Belgium, besieging the citadel of Antwerp in 1832. In 1834, he briefly served as Prime Minister as an independent. From 1838 to 1842, he commanded the National Guard in the Seine department, and he became a senator of the Second French Empire in 1852, dying that same year.